A Hero's Fate
by RubytheRed
Summary: The peace they found after Gaea is shattered as a new great prophecy comes to light- one that foretells the end of everything they hold dear. As they struggle to find their new enemy, the demigods learn that they're keeping secrets from each other- secrets that can ruin everything they've worked for. New talents are discovered, friends are betrayed, and choices must be made.
1. Prologue

_The Prophecy_

 _In the place without time an evil shall rise,_

 _A half-blood, thought dead, to be wisdom's prize._

 _One choice, with a catch, leads death to call,_

 _But there's grace in defeat, and beauty in the fall._

 _One hero, willing to fight against fate,_

 _Will lose what they love, just a moment too late,_

 _And with a final breath, in the shadow of the sun,_

 _A debt shall be paid, a curse undone._


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey, guys! I just wanted to thank all of you for taking the time to read this. This story is rated teen for now, but the rating may go up due to violence and intense situations. I've always loved the Percy Jackson series, and Heroes of Olympus was just as fantastic. When it ended, however, I felt that there was more to the story, and that there were some questions left unanswered. That being said, this story takes place about a year after BOO, and I have tried to follow the path I think Rick Riordan would have taken, if he had continued the series. It's definitely going to be darker than his books, but I think it is necessary, since the characters can grow up with their readers. Reviews are welcome!**

Chapter 1

Blood leaked down her face, gushing into her eyes. Her head throbbed in time with her rapid heartbeat. She winced as she breathed in. _Something's definitely broken._ She steadied herself as the creature raged towards her. Annabeth ducked as the Cyclops swung its fist at her, and twisted so that she could dig her blade into its flesh. She missed, and was only able to impale its leg. It roared in pain, and spun faster than it should have been able to, backhanding her. She flew threw the air and landed hard on the ground, her head bouncing off a rock. She wanted to fight, but she didn't have the energy to get back up. Dazed, she gazed across the hill at her friends, watching as they tried to fight the monster. Thalia called down thunderbolt after thunderbolt, but the Cyclops seemed impervious, shrugging off the electricity and advancing towards her.

"I'll hold him off!" yelled Grover, his voice trembling. He pulled out his pipes and began to play, causing leafy tendrils to spring forth from the ground. They wrapped around the beast like restraints, but withered almost immediately. "You guys need to get to camp!"

Annabeth admired his bravery, but she and the satyr both knew that it wasn't going to be enough. She glanced towards Percy, watching as he crept up behind the Cyclops, riptide tight in his hands. Even through her head injury, Annabeth knew something was wrong. _Percy? Shouldn't it be…Luke?_ And with that thought, everything changed. The Cyclops disintegrated into dust, and Thalia and Grover silently faded away. Percy's face melted, and she could only watch in terror as his skin dripped away. His eyes flashed with a golden light and changed, the once green eyes now a startling blue. Luke's form advanced towards her, smirking, backbiter gleaming in front of him. His shirt was covered in blood, a horrifying mix of red and the golden ichor of the gods.

"You let me die, Annabeth," he growled, his voice acidic. "What happened to family, huh? Was I not _good_ enough for you?" he taunted. She tried to get up, but found herself unable to move. Her fear skyrocketed, and her heart pounded painfully in her chest. "A handy little tidbit I learned from Kronos," he said, laughing manically. "How does it feel, not having control of your own body? Not fun, is it?"

His blue eyes were cold, but she could see the pain behind them. "You made your choice, so now I'm making mine". He raised his sword above her, aiming for her chest. She closed her eyes and prayed to Athena. The demigod was expecting a blinding pain, so when she felt nothing, she dared to open her eyes.

Luke was frozen above her, the tip of his sword millimeters away from her heart. His face was locked in a grimace and there was a crazed light in his eyes.

 _"No matter which path you chose, this was always meant to be the ending,"_ boomed a resonating voice behind her. She tried to turn around, but she was still paralyzed. " _Annabeth Chase, your choices were meant to destroy you, and so they shall"._ She knew that voice. The name was on the tip of her tongue, yet she couldn't conjure it. She was suddenly angry at the voice.

"Who are you, to tell me what my fate is?" she argued. "Nothing is set in stone. I have free will, and I will decide my own life. The gods have taken enough from me!" She was breathing heavily now, and immediately regretted yelling. Surprisingly, though, his voice was calm.

 _"In time you will see reason, my dear"._ She thought she could detect the faintest hint of sadness in his voice. " _Have you not noticed something…different about yourself?"_ She felt a ball of fear in her stomach. _He can't possibly know. "How does it feel, child of Athena, to be unable to trust your own mind? To have the need to question if you made the right decision each and every day? Your choices have power, and you will soon understand the burden of free will"._

"I don't-" At that moment her mouth snapped shut, and she was unable to speak.

" _It's time for you to see what your choices have brought you!"_ There was a blinding golden light, and a scream, then all Annabeth could feel was Luke's blade in her heart.

She woke with a start, barely stifling a blood-curling scream. The ghost of the blade was still throbbing in her chest, and she frantically brought her hands to her heart, expecting to feel blood pouring out in rivulets. Sighing, she turned on the lamp beside her bed and sat up, deciding to check the mirror for any marks.

The bathroom tiles were ice cold. When she turned on the light she could only stare in defeat. Her face was drawn and pale, making the dark bags under her eyes more prominent. Golden locks hung in wild tangles around her face, and the white streak stuck out more than usual. She looked like hell.

Night after night, it was always the same. She relived the night that Thalia was lost, heard a mysterious voice, and got murdered by Luke. In the beginning, she had been unable to smother her screams, and Percy had always rushed to her room, Riptide in hand, with Sally and Paul following close behind. He had been so panicked, and it was easy to see the scars the war with Gaea had left. None of them were able to sleep without nightmares. Annabeth had simply told him it was a bad dream, nothing to worry about. She never told him what happened every night- as far as he was aware, she couldn't remember. Eventually, she had learned to keep quiet.

She shut the bathroom light off and crept to her door, opening it slowly so as not to wake the rest of the house. She tiptoed to the living room and sat on the couch, facing the large, open windows. Just like every sleepless night before, she curled into a ball and waited for the sun to light up the world.


	3. Chapter 2

He leaned lightly against the cool pillar, staring up at the disappearing stars. Dawn was just beginning to stretch rosy fingers across the sky, and the night's shadows were disappearing. Although it was surprising, Nico actually preferred daylight to the darkness. He had always associated darkness with evil, and he reveled in the fact that he was welcome in the sun, since he took it as a sign that the universe still saw some good in him. Most mornings, he watched the sunrise, enjoying the way the reds and yellows bled together. The sky always seemed as though it was on fire, burning the previous day's memories away and leaving behind a clean slate.

Sighing, he checked his watch for what seemed like the billionth time. She was late, as usual. Knowing that he would have a few minutes before Reyna arrived for breakfast, he decided to check in on his friends, using his new ability.

Nico had noticed it for the first time when Reyna was training the new recruits. She had told him he was always welcome to watch, but he normally stayed in the shadows, since the other demigods tended to feel uncomfortable in his presence. That day, however, he found himself wandering Camp Jupiter with Frank and Hazel, only half-paying attention as the couple joked with one another. He had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. No matter how hard he tried to enjoy the afternoon with his friends, he just couldn't get rid of his unease. As they neared the battlegrounds, he felt a sharp pang in his abdomen. The painful jolt nearly dropped him to his knees, but he kept himself on his feet and broke into a run. He just knew he needed to get to Reyna. Frank and Hazel sprinted behind him, shouting, but Nico ignored the concerned cries of the two demigods. When he got to the arena, his vision narrowed and he stopped in his tracks. All he could see was the dark-haired praetor kneeling on the ground, clutching her stomach. An imperial gold weapon glistened near Reyna, the blood on its tip a match for the growing stain on her robe, and the liquid oozing between her fingers. Somehow, in that moment, he felt as though he was the one who had been stabbed. He was blind to the frantic crowd gathering, his only focus on Reyna and her quickly fading spirit. The last thing he remembered before the darkness overtook him was the sticky feeling of blood on his fingers.

When he later awoke, Nico found himself lying on a cot in the sickbay. He shot up quickly, memories of that afternoon rushing back. He turned his head to see Reyna sleeping in a bed nearby, a fresh bandage wrapped around her middle. Relief crashed over him in waves, and he fell back to the bed. Nico faded in and out of consciousness, catching glimpses of a worried Hazel and anxious Frank. Sometime that evening, Hazel came back to check on him and they worked to piece together exactly what had happened. It turned out that one of the new recruits had managed to get past Reyna's defenses and impale her with a sword. It was a complete accident, and something that the young praetor would later brag about, her pride in the young Roman overshadowing the pain of the injury. The two siblings eventually came to the conclusion that Nico had somehow felt Reyna's pain. As time went by, it began to happen more frequently.

Now, months later, Nico knew exactly what had happened. Everyone else had chalked it up to a new ability, one that allowed him to feel others' pain. Annabeth had even called him an empath, and explained to the others that Hades had probably given him that power in order to help him better understand death. But Nico knew better- his ability allowed him to feel much more than pain. It allowed him to feel the _life_ of another. He could sense the strength of their spirit, and when he concentrated, he could see the strings woven for them by the fates. Life was fragile, and it sometimes scared him to see how a simple choice could bring someone near the end of their thread. Any time Percy or Jason chose to dive into a battle, he could see their souls become shrouded in shadows, their ties to the living literally hanging by a thread. One second later, with the swing of a sword, those feeble strings became strong cords, tying his friends permanently to the earth. Another second, and they were close to death yet again, a constant back and forth.

Eventually, Nico had learned to block out most of the pain and the shadows, with only the greatest injuries having any effect on him. Although dealing with the physical pain had been difficult, he had been pleased to learn that distance wasn't really relevant when it came to using his new power. With practice, it became a habit for the child of Hades to check on his friends, sending tendrils of power out every now and again to keep track of everyone. For the most part, he never really felt anything disturbing. Sure, he usually felt minor wounds and cuts from scuffles with the enemy, maybe even a stab or two, but never anything alarming. So when Nico decided to check on his friends at Camp Half Blood, he wasn't prepared for the agonizing pain that blazed through his skull and knocked him unconscious. He was out before he could even scream, and his body collapsed into Reyna's stunned arms.


	4. Chapter 3

Rachel was running for her life. She raced through the trees, leaping over stray rocks and branches. She felt as though she had been running forever, but she knew that she needed to protect the bundle in her arms. Behind her, she could hear shouting, and the slashing and clanking of celestial bronze. Her armor felt heavy and cool against her skin, and she felt as though her heart was trying to jump out of her chest. The gentle sound of rushing water told her that she was nearing the stream, and as it came into view she slowed down, panting. Keeping the bundle secure in one arm, she pulled out a map of the camp and shook it open, hoping to figure out where exactly she was. _I hope I'm not too late,_ she thought.

Bright morning sunshine managed to find its way through the branches overhead, leaving the map covered in bright white spots. She looked around to make sure that she was still alone, and then she squatted down, concealing herself between the trees and the river. Rachel squinted, turning the paper around until she was able to get her bearings. She was still a mile away. Sighing, she bunched the map up and shoved it back into her jeans pocket. As she stood back up, she heard a noise behind her, and quickly spun around, drawing the bronze dagger Percy had given her. She watched wordlessly as a squirrel darted across the forest floor and scampered up a tree. Laughing quietly to herself, she turned back around only to hit something solid and immovable. She retreated quickly, her heart sinking when she felt the tree at her back, and could only watch as he snickered to himself.

"Did you really think you could hide from me?" he said tauntingly, his blue eyes cold beneath his helmet. He pulled his sword out, and the sound of metal against metal sent a chill up her spine. "That you could beat me?" He angled the blade towards her and she quickly brought her dagger up in defense, the clang echoing through the trees. He gave her a small smile and then forcefully twisted his sword, catching his blade on the hilt of her dagger and flinging it out of her hands. "Now hand it over," he declared with a stony voice, reaching for the bundle in her arms.

Rachel watched the demigod's guard fall as he stretched his arm out, his sword lowering slightly in the other, and when he was in position, she brought her leg up as hard as she could and kicked him in the knee. He stumbled and growled in pain, giving her an opening. She dived to the ground behind him and snatched up her dagger, and then she placed it against his throat. "I believe I win," Rachel said with a smirk. She reached down and grabbed the purple scrap of fabric from his belt. At that moment the rest of her team burst through the woods, and she handed off the flag to Connor Stoll, who quickly sped off towards the base.

"Well you did learn from the best," Jason said, sighing as Rachel released him from her hold. He sheathed his imperial gold sword and removed his helmet, his blue eyes twinkling.

"I don't know that I'd say that," Rachel said teasingly. In all honesty, he probably was the best trainer she could have had. After the war with Gaea, she had realized just how badly she needed to learn how to fight. Being a part of the demigod world had seemed magical at first, and it had been exactly the escape she was looking for. She knew that being the oracle was a huge responsibility, one that would put her in danger, but it hadn't seemed real to her. Even the war with Kronos hadn't scared her, since she saw it as a freak occurrence. A rare event for her lifetime. But when the war with Gaea happened, it finally hit her- she was never going to be safe. No matter how many times they killed the bad guy, they would always come back. There would always be another. She decided then and there that she would learn to use a sword, to fight and protect both herself and the family she had found. Everyone else had been wary of teaching her to fight, for fear of injuring her, but Jason had no problem helping her. Even though she wasn't as fast or strong as the other demigods, she still managed to hold her own during a fight, and after a few months, they had begun inviting her to participate in capture the flag. Rachel found the battle tactics interesting, and she was much happier interacting with the rest of the campers rather than hiding in her cave. Today was the first time that she had managed to help her team win, and she was immensely proud of herself.

Jason frowned, holding his hand to his chest in mock pain. "You mean that I'm not an excellent swordsman?" He turned away from her, a twinkle in his eye. "I guess that means no more sparring practice for you". He began to walk back towards camp, and Rachel quickly caught up with him.

"I guess I'll just have to find a new partner, someone that can't be taken down by a mere mortal's kick," she said, barely holding back a laugh. She reached up to comb her red hair out of her eyes, and suddenly felt a bout of dizziness. Her steps slowed, and she leaned against a nearby tree for support, breathing heavily. She looked up to see Jason hurriedly making his way back towards her, and she realized that she couldn't hear his steps nor his voice, though she realized he was calling her name by the way his mouth moved. She tried to step towards him, and felt a bolt of pain in her head. Another jolt quickly hit her, and soon the waves of pain were unbearable. Her vision swam, and the last thing she saw was the panic on Jason's face before darkness consumed her.


	5. Chapter 4

She crouched quietly in the trees, right on the edge of the forest. From her vantage point, Piper would be able to catch anyone who tried to sneak back to camp with a flag. Two Hermes campers had already tried to cheat and grab extra weapons and firebombs, but it only took a few words from her to stop them in their tracks. She sent them back to camp, both demigods on their way to do all the dishes for the night. They didn't even seem to recognize that it wasn't their own idea, which worried her. Lately, Piper had noticed that it barely took any effort at all to use her charmspeak. Half the time, she didn't even realize she was doing it. Just last month, Jason had accidentally sliced her arm when they were training. Even though it had barely bled, he still wanted her to go to the Apollo cabin to get it looked at. She had told him it was nothing, telling him to "forget about it". Later that evening, at the campfire, she caught him glancing at the thin red line, and when she asked him why he was staring, he simply said he wanted to know how she got it. Piper had thought he was joking at first, but the look in his eyes said otherwise. She was more careful after that, but it certainly didn't escape notice- she could feel the growing suspicion of the other campers, which didn't help matters. She already couldn't sleep at night, plagued by odd dreams she wasn't ready to discuss, but that wasn't the worst of it, no. The worst thing was the power she was developing, and it frightened her. When she looked at someone, she knew exactly how to control them- she knew their fears, their desires, and could even sense whatever they were feeling at the time. It wasn't as though she wanted to act on it, but there was a tiny voice in her mind, one that told her she could have everyone bow down before her. She had the power to rip their hearts apart, to make them feel whatever she wanted them to, and a part of her wanted to do it.

Shaking her head, Piper took a deep breath and shoved those thoughts aside, choosing instead to focus on the war game. She stood up, making sure she was still hidden by the trees, and began to adjust her armor. The shade from the trees helped, but she was still sweating beneath the heavy metal. She had elected to not wear a helmet, so she took a moment to readjust her braid, attempting to tame her layers and keep them out of her face. She looked up and was startled to see Jason flying through the sky. _He's such a cheat,_ she thought, chuckling to herself. The laugh caught in her throat, though, when she felt the waves of panic and fear crash over her. She watched as Jason landed in front of the Big House, and a cry slipped out of her mouth when she saw the flash of red on his shoulder. Game forgotten, she pulled Katoptris from its sheath and ran to Jason's side.

His fear mixed with her own was almost too much, and Piper's panic only rose as the crowd around them grew. One voice told her to run, while another told her to fight, and still another young heart told her to just throw down her weapon and cry. The conflicting emotions from all the campers were almost too much to handle. She closed her eyes and pushed the feelings away, steadily gaining control. She reopened her eyes, and looked at Jason.

"What happened?" she asked, suppressing the urge to cry out at the sight of Rachel unconscious in his arms. She brought her blade higher, as if preparing to fight an enemy. "Are we being attacked?" She heard the rest of the campers go quiet, the need to know what happened nearly outweighing their fear.

"I'm not really sure. She was fine one minute, and the next she was leaning against the tree for support, gasping for breath. Then she grabbed her head like she was in pain, and passed out". He looked down at Rachel and then at Piper, his gaze suddenly determined. "Where's Chiron?"

Piper heard his hooves before she saw him, and turned around to see the crowd parting for the centaur. Unlike the others, he wasn't emanating panic, which made Piper sigh in relief. He took one look at Rachel, and then made his way to the Big House, opening the door and ushering Jason and Piper inside. He also called forth Will Solace, one of the Apollo campers, before shutting the door on the rest of them. Dionysus sat in the corner of the room, playing a game of solitaire. He didn't even stir at their presence, seemingly oblivious to the tension in the air. Jason walked over to the couch by the far wall and set Rachel down gently, brushing her hair from her face. Piper quickly joined him, and was surprised to see electricity crackling over his skin. _Well that's new._ Apparently he noticed it as well, murmuring a quick "sorry". A moment later the lightning was gone, as though it had never been there in the first place.

Chiron hadn't spoken a single word. Instead, he was pacing the room, worry lining his face. Will had made his way over to Rachel, hovering over her and checking her for injuries. Finding none, he stepped back and crossed his arms, his face scrunched up in thought. Suddenly Rachel twitched, startling everyone and making Will jump. A green light enveloped her and she began to scream, writhing on the couch. Piper clutched Jason's arm, and could feel the electricity sparking across his skin again. Will moved towards Rachel, feeling the urge to help her, but before he could, Chiron broke from his pacing, grabbing him and pulling him back.

"Don't touch her," Chiron said, looking at them pleadingly. "It seems the oracle spirit has a hold of her, and trying to wake her from this state could be dangerous for everyone involved". Piper watched him flinch as Rachel screamed again. For a moment she could see beneath his calm façade, and she saw the sadness that had weighed upon him for centuries. "As difficult as this may be," he said, turning to look Will dead in the eye, "we cannot interfere". The words brought a faraway expression to Chiron's features, and he resumed his pacing, lost in thought. For a short time the four of them stood in the cabin, only their breathing and Rachel's shrieks breaking the silence. After hearing Rachel scream yet again, Piper decided she couldn't take it any longer and turned to leave the building.

Suddenly, Rachel's voice filled the room. "Just let me tell them! Please." she moaned. The voice changed, and Piper shuddered as she heard the oracles break through. " _We cannot reveal the prophecy. Not without the others"._ The sickly glow around Rachel grew brighter, and the shrieks began anew, louder than before.

Tears pricked her eyes, but rather than giving in to the urge to yell and curse at the world, she took off towards the Aphrodite cabin. She barely took note of the heavily decorated structure, and instead went straight to her bunk, reaching for the chest below her bed. Piper opened the wooden box and dug through her belongings, letting out an audible cheer when her hands clasped the cool metal coin. She didn't even bother to put away the chest before racing back to the big house, where she found Jason waiting outside for her. Their eyes met and she knew that he had had the same thought as to who the "others" were.

"It's time to make a call".


End file.
